Driving on a beach is a really fun and memorable experience in the summer months. It opens a beach up to more people, and it’s a really convenient option for families. There’s just a limited number of beaches across Wales that let you drive your car out onto the sand — here are the three, from north to south.
Why drive on the sand
It’s easier with little ones, a picnic and everything else you’d normally carry from the car park. Black Rock Sands was the first beach I’d ever driven on, and it was quite an experience — mile after mile of golden sand with panoramic views.
There is mile after mile of beautiful golden sands and incredible panoramic views.
The three beaches
Porthmadog · £5
Black Rock Sands
My favourite. Miles of golden sand, low-tide caves and rock pools, and dunes that are a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Parking is open 9am–8pm, toilets are by the ticket booth, and access is good for disabled visitors.
Carmarthenshire · £4
Pendine Sands
Seven miles of sand where World Land Speed Records were set, 15 miles from Tenby. Parking is limited to one area at weekends and in high season, and depends on the weather and tide.
Ceredigion · £2
Ynyslas Beach
Dunes, wildflowers and a boardwalk, with Aberdyfi across the estuary. At low tide a petrified forest appears. Strong currents make it unsuitable for swimming.
Parking at a glance
Black Rock Sands
£5 · 9am–8pm
Gates lock at 8pm, so no overnight parking. Postcode LL49 9YH, What3Words ///rewriting.earliest.collect.
Pendine Sands
£4 · weekends, tide permitting
Owned by the MOD, so parts may close in the week. Pay and display in the village if the beach is shut. Postcode SA33 4NY, What3Words ///kite.owes.cyclones.
Ynyslas Beach
£2 · tide permitting
Pay at the visitor centre, where staff hand out trail maps. A second car park sits close to the centre for disabled visitors. Postcode SY24 5JZ.
Pack for a beach picnic
The basket
A picnic hamper
Black Rock Sands is ideal for a picnic — bring a blanket, a beach umbrella and a hamper full of food for a meal with the best view in town.
The stove
A camping stove
With the car right there, a portable stove means a hot lunch or a brew on the sand.
The rest
Chairs and a cool bag
A folding beach chair and a compact cool bag make a full day on the beach easy.
A short history of Pendine
Between 1924 and 1927, Pendine was the centre of World Land Speed Record attempts. Sir Malcolm Campbell set the record at 150mph in Sunbeam Bluebird in July 1925; J.G. Parry Thomas broke it at 170mph in Babs the following April, before Campbell returned at 174mph. Thomas died when his car crashed in March 1927.
A new Museum of Land Speed, with a panoramic view of the beach, is worth a look while you’re here — check opening times before you go.
Where to stay
Black Rock Sands
Two campsites by the beach
Black Rock Sands Touring and Camping Park and Glan Y Mor Camping Park are right next to the sand. Porthmadog and Portmeirion are close by.
Pendine Sands
Tenby and the coast
Pendine sits in a wonderful part of south-west Wales — Tenby is a short drive away, with villages and beaches all along the coast.
Ynyslas Beach
Ty Gwyn campsite
No overnight stays on the reserve, but Ty Gwyn is a 2-minute drive away. Aberystwyth and Aberdyfi make good bases too.
A note on this guide This guide includes affiliate links. I only recommend places I’ve been, or would send you to anyway.
